A night after which the supporters are starting to criticise certain aspects about the way the team is being run both with regard to the composition of the squad and selections made.
Last season it was hard to even suggest that certain areas of the team were not quite right, those that did where shouted down, this season however its starting to become a different story and some of those that six months ago would hear no wrong about the Club are starting to turn very quickly and results like this do not help matters.
It would take a very optimistic person who would try to argue the point that in the summer we made some astute signings, in fact most would now concur that we made the wrong signings to play the formation that someone in the club is determined to play and didnt strengthen in the right areas.
A poor start to the season underlined that, however in the main support for Nigel Adkins has remained strong, however it weakened considerably after his team selections last night and whilst many would take the point that the priority is the next game at West Brom, with six days to go before that, the counter argument that getting a win under our belt and getting back that winning spirit would in my book overird ethe need to wrap players up in cotton wool.
Saints had a great chance to reach the last eight but Im sorry to put out a total reserve side including the likes of Tadanari Lee who has been injured for the entire season bar one apprearance in an earlier round six weeks ago, was cheating the supporters who spent a lot of time and effort following their team to Leeds, yes Nigel Adkins has to do what he feels is best for Southampton Football Club, buit if he puts out a side like that they have to justify his selections and to be blunt they didnt do that, it was a team playing without spirit or fight.
It really shouldnt have been though, seven players played a significant part in our promotions over the last two years, two are supposedly promising youngsters and two are major signings for the club this season, so although its right to criticisise the manager for putting out a complete second string, in many respects he had a right to expect better from his players.
Of course two late goals made the scoreline look worse than it perhaps should have been, but the statistics make sad reading.
But the real question asked last night is in regard to the spirit within the squad, something has changed from last season in that respect, in fact something has changed from the earlier rounds in this competition, players need to know that if they play well they get a chance etc, perhaps the feeling in the squad is that isnt the case any more, that the manager is not in total command of the situation, if it isnt that then the manager is making some basic errors, players are not silly, although in the main they just get on and play, they know whats going on and when a manager has lost it or not, we supporters can only make guesses on what a situation is, the players know and again to be blunt, the performances they have put in over the past couple of months have not been acceptable, so who is to blame.
The reality is that its not just one thing, its a combination of several, poor signings, not making key signings in key areas, trying to play a formation we dont have the personel to play, poor selections and i havent even mentioned more sinister elements that may or may not be in play here with regard to who makes the signings and who has to be in the tea, all allegations that have been doing the rounds for a while.
But at the end of the day the fact still remains that this was another heavy defeat and another dent to our campaign, whatever the situation that is going on, its time for Nigel Adkins to stand up and be counted, if he is genuinely making mistakes due to his inexperience then Im sure a lot of fans would back him and continue to back him, but if he is not in charge of his own destiny then he needs to stand up and take control back in his own hands, its his reputation on the line. Indeed if our problems are entirely down to Nigel then some supporters might want to see him go, but he would still retain their respect, indeed the respect of us all, indeed we would back him to get us out of it. But if its found that he has bowed down and accepted being influenced from elsewhere then the fans would lose that respect and if thats the case then the players would probably feel the same.
Supporters back results, last season showed that, but when things go badly then they will look to where the blame lies, if Saints are to survive then it needs to be everyone pulling togather, but it needs more than that, it needs a manager at the head of the first team who is in charge of team matters.